Lu Yu

Lu Yu, courtesy name Hongjian, was a native of Jingling in Fuzhou (present-day Tianmen, Hubei) during the Tang dynasty; his dates are sometimes given as 733–804, though the available materials are limited and many details of his life cannot be firmly established. A lifelong tea enthusiast and a connoisseur of tea matters, he wrote The Classic of Tea, the world's first monograph on tea, which systematically discusses places of origin, picking and processing, brewing and drinking, and tea utensils. He is honored by later generations as the "Sage of Tea" and made outstanding contributions to the development of the tea industry in China and beyond. This site holds sixteen related works, mostly different editions and annotated translations of The Classic of Tea, along with selections touching on classical learning and tea culture. His writing is plain and practical, grounded in experience and clearly organized, resembling both cultural essays and a guide to daily life. Classified under Eastern philosophy, culture, literary appreciation, home life, miscellaneous prose, and food, his work remains an important introduction to Chinese tea culture.